Course plotting apparatus



Oct. 9, 1945. A. M. PATTERSON COURSE PLOTTING APPARATUS s SheetS -Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1944 INVENTOR. 1/ [fie/Z M Pazf'e/"Jon BY c" avg/MW Oct. 9, 1945. A. M. PATTERSON 2,386,712

COURSE PLOTTING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 9, 1945. PATTERSON 2,386,712

COURSE PLOTTING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 I N \k 'I' '"'W AsKATcnEw i 27 5 Z I Q /4 1 DAKOTA MONTANA DAKOTA i 7 CoLoR/wo i g in wlcmTA I :I

I a V RATFOHD a n s! ALBUQUERQUE NW MEXICO i H a? g Q I l i Patented Oct. 9, 1945 UNITED STATES FATE NT OFFICE 2,386,712 COURSE PLOTTING APPARATUS Albert M. Patterson, Hutchinson, Kans.

Application March 13, 1944, Serial No.

18 Claims.

accompanying drawings, in

is a fragmentary view of one side of the rollton, Kentucky.

Fig. 2 is broken a Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 1-7 of Fig. 3

The course plotting apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings is adapted or set up that the maps used are sealed for the apparatus or, otherwise stated, that the apparatus is scaled for the particular maps.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises a rectangular frame made up of side with a transparent front panel 5 and transparent rear panel 6 which desirably may be of Pliofilm or similar material. These panels cover the windows I and 8.

It will be understood that I use the terms front and rear as matters of convenience in description and either side may be designated as front and the other as rear.

The map A which I designated as an area map is mounted within the casing to be exposed through respond on both sides.

The sectional map strips are mounted on rollers H arranged in pairs Spring pressed friction blocks I8 coacting with the outer flanges or rollers, as shown in Fig. 6, hold them in their adjusted position. With this arrangement, the sectional map strips may be adjusted in either direction to bring the desired complemerals are used in order mentary map sections into complemental relation.

The complemented sections of the are provided with registering indicia 19 such as 3A, 4A, as shown in Fig. l-A and ID, 2D, 3D, 4D and 5D as shown in Fig. 5. Letters and nuto more easily designate the complemental series or complemental sections.

The casing frame members are provided with angled channels 2e and 2| arranged in oppositely disposed pairs. These channels have longitudi'nal slots 22 at the front thereof, the chanmap strips nels being normally covered by the window framing mats.

The course indicating or plotting strands 23 and 24 are supported for adjustment across the face of the map by mean of guides 25 and 25. As these guides and the actuators therefor and other details of their mounting and manipulation of the strands are duplicated for the opposite sides of the apparatus, a description of one will sufilce.

The guides 25 are translated around the frame of the casing by means of helically coiled actuators 21 and 23. These are in the form of helically coiled springs. The actuator 21 is rotatably mounted at one end by means of the flanged bushing 29 which is rotatable on the journal iii! of the support member 3i disposed at the upper right-hand corner of the frame, as viewed in Fig. 2. The other end of the actuator 21 is provided with a finger piece 32 by means of which the actuator may be rotated within the channel thereby moving the guide member longitudinally of the actuator, the guide member having a portion extending between the coils, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The support l3! for the bushing I29 for the actuator 21, see lower left-hand corner of the structure as viewed in Fig. 2 and the right of Fig. 3, is provided with a bore of sufiicient diameter to permit the strand 2% to pass freely therethrough and through the guide 33 to the tension or take-up spool 34. This take-up roller has a tension spring 35 corresponding to the tension spring 35 for the second take-up roller or spool 34 for the second plotting strand 2d. The relatively fixed ends of the strands are secured to the support members 3!, see Fig. 3-A.

With this arrangement, by manipulating the finger pieces 32, the guide members are translated longitudinally of the actuators and thereby adjusted across the map to indicate a course between two selected or predetermined places on the area map-for example, in the illustration shown in Fig. 1, the course between Washington, D. C., and Albuquerque, New Mexico. It will be noted that the right-hand end of the strand is slightly below the numeral 9 and the left-hand end slightly above the numeral 26.

The strand is preferably provided with distance indicating indicia as 36, the light spots indicating the indicia. This is scaled according to the area map. The strand 24 has distance indicia 31 scaled according to the sectional map.

With the parts thus arranged, the plotting strandmay be adjusted to indicate the course between any two places on the area map. When this has been done, the operator adjusts the second strand 24 to a position corresponding to the adjustment. of the strand 23 with one slightly below the numeral 9 and the other slightly above the numeral 26. The sectional map strip B is then adjusted to bring the starting point, Washington, D. 0., into approximate register with the sectional course indicating strand. The sectional map strip C is then adjusted to bring its indicia 3A, lA into register with the indicia 3A, 4A on the strip B. It thus is indicated that the course lies through Elkins and Spencer, West Virginia, Portsmouth, Ohio, and Carrollton, Kentucky,

indicated for illustration purposes on the sectional map. When Carrollton, Kentucky is reached, the sectional strip B is then readjusted to bring the next city or landmark west of Carrollton indicated on the course line 23 on the area map A into registering or approximate register with the course strand 24 and the sectional map C is adjusted until the indicia l9 at the right hand edge of strip C registers with the corresponding indicia along the left hand edge of strip B, in which position the geographic areas of strip C register exactly with those of strip B, just as those areas register on area map A. It will be understood that each of the sectional map strips 13 and C may consist of one complete map of the United States cut in tion is reached. In a complete crossing of the United States, several of the series of map sections are employed. With this arrangement, any course within the United States or within the area to be traversed and properly mapped on the area map and on the sectional maps may be quickly and eifectively plotted and easily followed.

I have illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention which I have found to be very practical. I trate or describe other adaptations or embodiments for various areas, for example, or in structural details for particular adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows on opposite sides thereof, there being correspondingly positioned graduations and associated numerals associated with each window, the numerals being consecutive around the windows and beginning centrally map exposed through one of said windows, sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of selected portions thereof through the other window, pairs of supporting rollers for said sectional map strips mounted within said casing and provided with finger pieces whereby he map strips may be independently adjusted, each of said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, said map strips each having a corresponding series of registerable positioning indicia facilitating the positioning sections of the maps in complementing relation, pairs of oppositely disposed angular channels within said casing having longitudinal slots in the front sides thereof, helically coiled strand guide actuators disposed in said channels for rotation therein, said actuators at one of the ends of each thereof being rotatably mounted at diagonally opposite corners of said casing and provided with finger pieces at their other ends whereby they may be independently rotated, pairs of course indicating have not attempted to illus of the tops thereof, of an area the corresponding rotatably mounted end of pair, and spring wind take-up spools for the free ends of said strands mounted within said casing.

2. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows,

provided with finger pieces at their other ends whereby they may be independently rotated, pairs of course indicating strand guides engaged with the coils of said actuators to project through the slot-like openings of said channels whereby upon tatably mounted end of one of said actuators of a pair and extending longitudinally interiorly of said actuator from said ed to the strand guide engaging said actuator, the other being relatively free, there being a guide for the relatively free end of the strand at the corresponding rotatably mounted end of the other actuator of the pair, and spring Wind take-up spools for the free ends of said strands mounted Within said casing.

3. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated thereof, helically coiled strand disposed in said channels for rotation therein, said actuators at one of the ends of each thereof being rotatably mounted at diag in the front sides rotatably the pair, and resilient take-up means for the free ends of ported by said guides for adjustment across the windows. 5. In a each of said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said map area, pairs of helically coiled rotatably supported strand guide actuators, pairs of course indicating strand guides engaged with the coils of said acfrom the interiors of said actuators by said guides, one end of each strand being relatively lined and extending longitudinally interiorly of said actuator from said end to the strand guide engaging said actuator, the other being relatively free, and spring wind ends of said strands.

Y '6. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned graduations and associated numerals associated with each window, of an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustably supported sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of selected portions thereof through the other window, each oi said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, pairs of helical rotatably supported strand guide actuators, pairs of course indicating strand guides engaged with the actuators to be translated thereby upon rotation of the actuators, and course indicating strands supported by said guides for adjustment across the windows and the maps exposed therein.

'7. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with the windows, of an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustably supported sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of selected portions thereof through the other'window, each of said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, pairs of helical rotatably supported strand guide actuators, pairs of course indicating strand guides engaged with the actuators to be translated thereby upon rotation of the actuators, course indicating strands adjustably supported by said guides for adjustment across the windows and the maps exposed therein, one end of each strand being relatively fixed, the other being relatively free, and take-up means for the free ends of said strands.

8. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with the windows, of an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustably sup ported sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of selected portions thereof through the other window, eachof said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, pairs of helical rotatably supported strand guide actuators, pairs of course indicating strand guides engaged with the actuators to be translated thereby uponrotation of the actuators, course indicating strands adjustably supported by said guides for adjustment across the windows and the maps exposed therein, and take-up means for the free ends of said strands. d

9. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a map, of a pair of helical rotatably supported strand guide actuators mounted at the edges of the map in opposed angular relation, course indicating strand guides engaged with the said actuators to be translated thereby upon rotation of the actuators, a course indicating strand rove through said guides for adjustment thereby across the map, one end of each strand being relatively fixed and the other relatively free, and a spring wind take-up spool for the free end of said strand.

10. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a map, of a pair of helical rotatably supported strand guide actuators mounted at the edges of the map in opposed angular relation, course indicating strand guides engaged with the said actuators to be translated thereby upon rotation of the actuators, and a course indicating strand carried by said guides for adjustment thereby across the map.

11. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having Windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with each window, an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustable sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of complemental portions thereof through the other window, said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, said map strips having registerable indicia to facilitate positioning of complemental map sections in complementing relation, actuators disposed angularly in opposed relation to substantially embrace the window, strand guides engaged with the actuators to be translated along two sides of the windows, and course indicating strands engaged with said guides and having distance indicia thereon corresponding with the scale of the maps with which they are associated, said strands being disposed across the windows for adjustment across the maps disclosed therein, one end of the strands being relatively fixed.

12. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with each window, an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustable sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of complemental po'rtions thereof through the other window, said sectional map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, actuators disposed angularly in opposed relation to substantially embrace the window, strand guides engaged with the actuators to be translated along two sides of the windows, and course indicating strands engaged with said guides.

13. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, an area map exposed through one of said windows, adjustably mounted sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of complemental portions thereof through the other window, said map strips having thereon a series of complemental sections of said area map, said map strips having a corresponding series of registerable indicia to facilitate the positioning of the complemental map sections in complementing relation, course indicating strands disposed across said windows to overlie the maps exposed therein, said strands having distance indicia thereon corresponding to the scale of the maps with which they are associated, said Windows having correspondingly positioned indicia associated therewith, means for independently adjusting the ends of the reaches of the course indicating strands comprising flexible rotatably mounted actuators disposed in angular relation and in opposed pairs, each actuator extending along two sides of the window, and strand guide members operatively associated with said actuators to be translated thereby upon the rotation of the actuators, said strands being rove through said guides and being anchored at one end and provided with auto matic take-ups at their free ends.

14. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination with a casing having windows, an area map exposed through one of said windows, ad-- justably mounted sectional map strips disposed edge to edge for exposure of complemental por tions thereof through the other window, said map strips having thereon a series of comple mental sections of said area map, said map strips having a corresponding series of registerable indicia to facilitate the positioning of the compleactuators to be translated thereby upon the rotation of the actuators.

15. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination of a main area map, auxiliary map memstrands disposed across said maps, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with the edges of the main and auxiliary maps, and means for independently adjusting the ends of the reaches of the course indicating strands extending across the maps along two sides of the maps.

16. In a course plotting apparatus, the combimain map, course indicating mental sections of the main nation of a main area map, bers disposed edge to edge ative to each other and for mental portions thereof, members having thereon the map, each end being adjustable along two sides of the map.

18. In a course plotting apparatus, the combination of a casing having windows, there being correspondingly positioned indicia associated with each window, an area ALBERT M. PATTERSON. 

